Number of children involved in divorces in New Zealand
1991–2024
| Year | Number of children under 17 years |
|---|---|
| 1991 | 9,051 |
| 1992 | 8,949 |
| 1993 | 8,976 |
| 1994 | 9,072 |
| 1995 | 9,222 |
| 1996 | 9,444 |
| 1997 | 9,093 |
| 1998 | 9,429 |
| 1999 | 8,904 |
| 2000 | 8,775 |
| 2001 | 8,748 |
| 2002 | 8,946 |
| 2003 | 9,120 |
| 2004 | 9,186 |
| 2005 | 8,337 |
| 2006 | 8,073 |
| 2007 | 7,824 |
| 2008 | 7,578 |
| 2009 | 6,657 |
| 2010 | 6,732 |
| 2011 | 6,909 |
| 2012 | 6,861 |
| 2013 | 6,294 |
| 2014 | 6,024 |
| 2015 | 6,510 |
| 2016 | 6,135 |
| 2017 | 5,916 |
| 2018 | 5,598 |
| 2019 | 6,201 |
| 2020 | 5,973 |
| 2021 | 4,842 |
| 2022 | 5,853 |
| 2023 | 5,901 |
| 2024 | 5,685 |
Definitions
Divorce: The dissolution of a marriage or civil union. An application for marriage or civil union dissolution can be made by either partner on grounds that the marriage or civil union has broken down irreconcilably, provided a two-year separation requirement is satisfied. One or both partners must usually live in New Zealand. The Family Court grants Dissolution Orders. Family Courts are located throughout New Zealand but since 2014 almost all applications for divorce have been processed by the Wellington court.
For more information
Limitations of the data
From 2011, divorce data are based on on the year the order of dissolution was granted. Before 2011 data are based on the date the order was received by Stats NZ. Data from 2011 may not be directly comparable with data before 2011.
Data provided by
Dataset name
Marriages, Civil Unions, and Divorces: Divorces involving children aged under 17 years (marriages and civil unions) 2024
Webpage:
https://infoshare.stats.govt.nz/
How to find the data
At URL provided, select 'Population > Marriages, Civil Unions, and Divorces - VSM > Divorces involving children aged under 17 years (marriages and civil unions) (Annual-Dec)'. All variables were selected to create this dataset.
Import & extraction details
File as imported: Marriages, Civil Unions, and Divorces: Divorces involving children aged under 17 years (marriages and civil unions) 2024
From the dataset Marriages, Civil Unions, and Divorces: Divorces involving children aged under 17 years (marriages and civil unions) 2024, this data was extracted:
- Rows: 3-37
- Columns: 2-4
- Provided: 105 data points
This data forms the table Marriages and Divorce - Divorces involving children aged under 17 years 1990–2024.
Dataset originally released on:
August 28, 2025
Method of collection/Data provider
Ministry of Justice provides a quarterly electronic file of orders for dissolution of marriage and civil unions granted in New Zealand. The data is compiled from information collected by the family courts.